By
Terrance Henry Booth, Sr., Tsimshian
While America struggles with its economic crisis Tribes can prosper amid this global economic crisis. In Southeast Alaska there is opportunity to take over all of the energy needs of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia. For several years Southeast Alaska has been working upon the Southeast Alaska that connects about every village and town of Southeast Alaska. All three tribes by joining forces can take over this Southeast Alaska Inter-tie that will eventually hook-up to BC Hydro providing energy to British Columbia. Every Tribe in America has biomass, solar, wind and water all can be converted into energy.
Department of Energy over several years has done feasibility studies to see what alternative energy usage will work for a tribal setting. Southeast Alaska has seafood waste, landfills with some causing environmental concerns; every tribe in Southeast Alaska has biomass, water, wind, tidal waters, lakes, streams, and a lot of wind. The Native Villages of Southeast Alaska can have the formation of Inter-tribal alternative energy cooperative and have the implementation of an Inter-tribal Energy Park to sell needed energy to this Southeast Alaska Inter-tie System to put it in place a lot faster and meet the energy needs of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia.
Landfills can be converted into energy or even converted into a durable metal like substance that can replace aluminum, copper or steel. This can open up substantial wealth development for all of the tribes of Southeast Alaska. The scientific technology is already in place to convert trash into profits and the creation of this metal like substance manufacturing of metal parts can be made for at least nine major industries. [1]
The landfill environmental problems of tribes can be converted into energy and some tribes doing biomass projects to resolving waste problems of their neighbors. “The Tulalip Tribes of Washington, a federally recognized Indian Tribe, will assess the feasibility of developing biogas generation facilities to convert manure and other biomass resources into electricity to help meet the Tribe's energy needs from a renewable energy source. Tulalip will research and report on how this type of development can improve water quality in Snohomish Watershed streams and rivers through improved treatment of manure and other bio-waste products and possible water reuse from the facility. Tulalip will explore using a biogas generation facility to supply heat to an anticipated Tribal nursery and greenhouse operation, and marketing of biogas facility byproducts as high-quality fertilizer and soil amendments. One idea is to brand the products as "salmon-friendly" and sell it at the Tribe's Home Depot-anchored shopping center on the Marysville, WA, Reservation” [2]
Next is to identify where environmental problems can be resolved by a tribe or tribes by turning waste into energy. “Honolulu makes up 80 percent of Hawaii's population and generates nearly 1.6 million tons of garbage a year. More than a third of the trash is incinerated to generate electricity. The remaining garbage is sent to the 21-year-old Waimanalo Gulch landfill on the island of Oahu's southwestern coast.” This environmental problem can be resolved if a tribe or tribes already doing an alternative energy biomass project can turn this project into substantial tribal wealth development with the establishment of a tribal biomass alternative energy park to sell needed energy to its neighbors and in process creation of more jobs for the tribe or tribes. [3]
How Renewable Energy Investments Help the Economy
There are two main reasons why renewable energy technologies offer an economic advantage: (1) they are labor intensive, so they generally create more jobs per dollar invested than conventional electricity generation technologies, and (2) they use primarily indigenous resources, so most of the energy dollars can be kept at home.
According to the Wisconsin Energy Bureau, investment in locally available renewable energy generates more jobs, greater earnings, and higher output ... than a continued reliance on imported fossil fuels. Economic impacts are maximized when an indigenous resource or technology can replace an imported fuel at a reasonable price and when a large percentage of inputs can be purchased in the state. The Bureau estimates that,
overall, renewables create three times as many jobs as the same level of spending on fossil fuels. [4]
What are the benefits that maybe taken advantage of and implemented upon all tribal lands:
Invest in Renewable Energy
Congressman Altmire believes that one way our country can reduce our dependence on foreign oil is through incentives that encourage the use and production of renewable energy. He supported tax breaks for American companies that developed innovative energy efficient and renewable technologies that can help put our country on a path toward energy independence. On October 3, 2008, over $17 billion in tax incentives were signed into law to encourage the production of wind and solar technologies and the construction of energy-efficient buildings and homes. These investments will help create new American jobs and strengthen our economy. [5]
”There are two tax credits available to taxpaying companies that own renewable energy facilities. One is the production tax credit, which is equal to 2.1 cents per kilowatt-hour, as of the beginning of 2009, and the other is the investment tax credit, which allows taxpayers to receive a credit of up to 30% of the initial investment in a project. Each of these can be used for wind, solar and geothermal projects, as well as other projects on Indian land, provided the owner is a taxpayer (not a tribe). In addition, there is very rapid depreciation allowed for these investments. Other tax incentives and credits may be available within Indian territories to encourage development, depending on a particular tribe’s circumstances.” [6]
Department of Energy and Tribal Energy Projects on Tribal Lands
DOE to Award $6.3 Million to 31 Clean Energy Projects on Tribal Lands
July 27, 2011
DOE will help Tribal Nations expand their use of clean energy, like the Rosebud Sioux did on their South Dakota Reservation with this wind turbine, shown during a powwow.
Credit: Robert Gough
DOE announced on July 21 that 31 tribal energy projects will receive $6.3 million over two years as part of DOE's ongoing efforts to support tribal energy development and continue strengthening the partnership with Tribal Nations. These competitively selected projects will allow Native American tribes to advance clean energy within their communities by developing strategic energy plans, expanding the skills and knowledge of tribal members, and improving the energy efficiency of their buildings.
The investments will help tribal communities save money and reduce energy waste, expand the use of clean energy technologies, and promote economic development. The funding will go to tribes and tribal organizations in 13 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin. [7]
“The Tribal Energy Program, under the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, promotes tribal energy sufficiency, and fosters economic development and employment on tribal lands through the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.” [8]
With available resources to implement tribal regional energy parks with biomass, solar, water or wind which every tribe has and it is only to convert it into energy for all of America by year 2016 will need 70% more electricity. Population growth of the cities and towns of each state readily dictates a dire need for more energy. With this need tribes can become the energy czars of America and prosper at the same time.
1. McAlister, Roy. The Solar Hydrogen Civilization, American Hydrogen Association, July 2003
2. US Department of Energy, Tulalip Tribes of Washington, Tulalip Tribes, 2003 Project
3. Huff Post, Green, Honolulu Waste Problem: City Struggles To Find A Place For Its 1.6 Million Tons Of Annual Garbage, HERBERT A. SAMPLE | 08/24/10
4. Economic Benefits from Renewable Energy, http://www.nrel.gov/docs/legosti/fy97/20505.pdf
5. Congressman Jason Altmire, Solutions to America’s Energy Crisis, http://altmire.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=253&Itemid=47
6. Financing Renewable Energy Development On Native American Lands, http://www.orrick.com/fileupload/1720.pdf
7. U.S. Department of Energy, Weatherization & Intergovernmental News, http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wip/m/news_detail.html?news_id=17577
8.
U.S. Department of Energy, Tribal Energy Programs, http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/tribalenergy/about.cfm
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